Author Archive
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
Han Dong, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
A breakthrough in Wi-Fi connectivity for Open Mobile users across the globe..
Just last week, iPass released the latest release of our Open Mobile client for iOS (for Apple™ iPhone, iPad and iPod devices). Go to iTunes to download the latest version of Open Mobile for iOS today!
Why is this latest release so important?
iPass Open Mobile v3.0 for iOS represents a tremendous leap forward for Open Mobile users. It ensures a superior user connectivity experience that’s more simplified and automated than previous versions of the client. 
iPass networks now become easier to identify for Open Mobile users who are looking for a trusted and known Wi-Fi connection wherever they travel.
Mobile users will now enjoy a radically simplified Wi-Fi connectivity experience (with Background authentication) when connecting to the iPass network; and users can take advantage of the seamless, high-performance Wi-Fi network of over one million hotspots around the world.
Highlights of the new features in Open Mobile v3.0 for iOS:
Enhanced network labeling:
Qualified iPass networks are annotated in a small footnote below the SSID to inform users which SSIDs are part of the iPass network. The enhanced network labeling allows users to make a clear and informed decision on which SSID to connect to. This takes the guesswork out of knowing the difference between an iPass SSID and an open broadcast SSID while still in Settings. 
No more guesswork!
Open Mobile Notification messages:
By integrating the iPass Open Mobile client with the native iOS Notification Center, the Open Mobile for iOS client can alert Open Mobile users if additional action is required to complete a connection to iPass networks.
Faster time to connection!
Automatic background authentication:
The iPass Network authentication is now performed automatically in the background after a Wi-Fi connection has been established by the iOS Wi-Fi connection manager. This new feature eliminates the need for users to manually interact with the native iOS Wi-Fi connection manager (via the iOS “Settings”) in order to select, and then interact with the Open Mobile client to complete the authenticate.
iPass Open Mobile enables organizations to provide mobile employees with seamless connectivity to the world’s largest commercial Wi-Fi network of more than one million hotspots including in-flight, hotels, airports and commercial venues around the world. Our goal is to help users stay well connected wherever they go. Be sure to download the Open Mobile client for your smartphone and tablet today.
If you haven’t updated, or have a new iPhone or iPad, go to iTunes to download the latest version of Open Mobile for iOS today!
Introducing: iPass Open Mobile v3.0 for iOS >>
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012
Han Dong, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
We had quite a break from our Top 5 list for showing the value of deploying Open Mobile and using Wi-Fi for smartphones. For our fifth and final reason, we wanted to offer reason not only for the end user, but for IT especially.
5. Premium “command and control” services + Integration with Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions
iPass is not just a Wi-Fi network service. We also offer a broad range of services designed to assist IT managers to control the deployment, provisioning, access, and cost of Wi-Fi for mobile workers. The Open Mobile portal provides the dashboard for Administrators to rapidly create and customize Open Mobile profiles that define the user access and experience for multiple departments and/or groups within the organization. These profile(s) help IT manage the wireless access and costs incurred by specific categories of mobile users – from global executives to regional sales and field support personnel.
Additionally, iPass has relationships with leading MDM vendors such as MobileIron, to develop integrated solutions of connectivity, provisioning, and secure device management to assist larger organizations who are deploying smartphones and tablets across the enterprise.
Thanks for staying tuned with us and our 5 main reasons for deploying Open Mobile!
Try our 24-hour free trial here
Deploying Open Mobile and Wi-Fi for smartphones (last of 5-part series) >>
Monday, September 24th, 2012
Han Dong, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last month, Apple recently released the latest version of iOS, iOS 6.
Details of what’s new in iOS 6 can be found here: http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/
For those Open Mobile users that have been long-time fans of running Open Mobile on iPhones and iPads, rest assured, we’ve officially certified Open Mobile for iOS support on iOS 6 devices (in addition to all iOS 4.3 and later devices). We’re excited about Apple’s new release and look forward to seeing the new iPhone 5 in the wild.
Knowing that Open Mobile for iOS runs great on iOS 6, we’re already playing around with Siri on iPads and looking for new ways to take advantage of the over 1 million iPass Network Wi-Fi hotspots to connect our devices to. Open Mobile connects you to a broad array of global Wi-Fi hotspots, wherever you travel – just in time to serve your ever growing wireless data needs.
Have an interesting use case for using Open Mobile on your iPhone/iPad? We’d like to hear about it. Feel free to add a comment to the blog post about how you enjoy using Open Mobile on iPhones and iPads.
Current customers, can download the iOS app from the App Store. Ask IT for your profile info.
Looking to try iPass out? We have an Enterprise 14-day trial and an individual 24-hour trial. Apply before your next trip!
iOS6 and iPass Open Mobile >>
Monday, August 27th, 2012
Han Dong, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
In part 3, we discussed that “free Wi-Fi” isn’t always free.
We’ve discussed the security issues of Wi-Fi as well as the number of Wi-Fi only electronics growing quickly, but we yet to mention the cap 3G/4G puts on your electronics. Here’s how your smartphone can get more from your 3G/4G data caps:
4. 3G/4G data caps (and International roaming) limit what apps and functions we can do on smartphones and tablets.
We often hear from our customers, “my smartphone has 3G/LTE/4G data service, I have all the bandwidth and coverage I need.” However, what these same users forget is that all that added bandwidth (with bigger data application needs and file transfers) now means that monthly data limits are reached sooner than ever before. That new iPad Retina display might look really nice, but once you start streaming videos or video-chatting, you’re gonna run into your data limits (or overage charges) sooner rather than later. Wi-Fi is THE cost effective alternative to parsimonious and pricey 3G/4G data limits. Why limit the usefulness of you smartphone or tablet by sticking to the low thresholds imposed by 3G/4G data plans? For international travelers, the need for global Wi-Fi is even clearer.
Check back next week to see our fifth and final reason, “Premium ‘command and control’ services + Integration with Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions”
You can also try iPass free for 24 hours on your devices >>
Get more value from 3G/4G caps on smartphone (Part 4 of 5) >>
Wednesday, August 8th, 2012
Han Dong, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
The past two weeks I’ve talked about the important need for Wi-Fi, but we also need to realize the dangers Wi-Fi can bring!
Here is reason number three to get the iPass Open Mobile Client and get more value from your employees’ smartphones.
3. When “Free Wi-Fi” isn’t really “Free.”
Often no one questions the security or reliability or even performance of Free Wi-Fi. Free is, after all “Free” – so you sorta get what you pay for.
Of course what if “Free Wi-Fi” is really a hacker pretending to be a free access point, allowing you to connect, and thus record keystrokes in an attempt to hijack your userIDs and passwords? You could just NOT logon to any sites that are financial/banking related or cloud-storage services that contain sensitive corporate data or facebook or email…
You can see where this is going. At a certain point, “Free Wi-Fi” is all of a sudden potentially MORE expensive than paid Wi-Fi, especially if user credentials get in the wrong hands. Why risk logging on to risky “Free Wi-Fi?” Choose only vetted hotspots with good reliability and performance, and you made a very important decision to protect and secure sensitive data.
Join us next Wednesday when we discuss: 3G/4G data caps (and International roaming) limit what apps and functions we can do on smartphones and tablets.
When free Wi-Fi is expensive [Part 3] >>
The iPass Network authentication is now performed automatically in the background after a Wi-Fi connection has been established by the iOS Wi-Fi connection manager. This new feature eliminates the need for users to manually interact with the native iOS Wi-Fi connection manager (via the iOS “Settings”) in order to select, and then interact with the Open Mobile client to complete the authenticate. 
